Moon Beyond the Mountain
by Nefertili
Summary: It is over. Naraku's miasma had overtaken Kikyou, and there was nothing left for her to do but die. Is there anything Sesshoumaru could do to prevent this? SessKik; major manga spoilers.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Inuyasha. If I had, I would have let Kikyou live. -.- This fic is set to the pairing SessKik. If you find anything wrong with this, hit the back button now as this isn't for you. Constructive criticisms are appreciated, but no way to flames! BTW, the poem featured here ("Moon Beyond the Mountain") is MINE. Just you dare steal it, I will fry you in a wok of boiling oil and feed your burnt-up carcass to the ravens!

**Author's notes: **MASSIVE MANGA SPOILERS! Damn, the latest manga chapters ("Sunset" and "Light", what irony) cast a gloomy shadow over my muses. Really, I cannot believe Rumiko Takahashi killed Kikyou off (at least for now)! But at least she's no longer suffering, right? _But _what if _there's _a way for her to live? What if Sesshy had some sense and was with her throughout her ordeal? ;P Okay, so here's what my crazy plotbunnies came up with. Be prepared with a box of tissues, as this is a bit of a tear-jerker!

...o0o...

**Moon Beyond the Mountain**

_By Nefertili_

**The winds of twilight rush from the west,  
As the sun floats down in rest.  
Clouds are painted with the tint of red...**

**Why am I alone tonight?**

Sesshoumaru glanced desperately at the woman he held close to him. Her eyes, ever melancholic, were still open. But she seemed to not notice anything about her; she was staring out into space, staring out to the blankness that would soon envelop her. Her beautiful face, which used to be so smooth, so soft, was now marred by deep scratches. Dreadful gashes snaked their way around her neck, and every little move cost much.

Kikyou stayed silent in her beloved's embrace. Her tired eyes glanced up at his amber orbs, but he looked away almost immediately. She sighed inwardly. They were in a grassy field, she sitting on his lap and facing the sunset. The sky looked glorious as the sun prepared to make way for the moon, but all that it reminded them was the inescapable fate that now lay in wait for them.

She had been overcome by Naraku's shouki; amidst all their efforts there was nothing they could do. She would pass to the Other Side... Kikyou...the valiant, beautiful Kikyou... Sesshoumaru refused to believe it. How can anyone as lowly as Naraku defeat Kikyou? _His Kikyou…_

"Sesshoumaru..." she whispered weakly. The Demon Prince forced himself to look at her in the eye without betraying the sorrow he felt beneath.

"I am listening," Sesshoumaru replied softly.

Kikyou, however, read the clear anguish in his eyes even if his face looked calm...calm, for her sake. But she knew better. Sesshoumaru was blaming himself for the state she was in now. He felt that he had not done enough to protect her from Naraku; now she was dying, dying because of his own folly and pride...

"I am glad I am with you," Kikyou said, her lips forming a smile.

Sesshoumaru can hardly contain his emotions to see her smile at a time like this. Kikyou, on the verge of death...but still, she retained the will to live until the very end.

"I know," he said, hugging her closer to him with his one arm. Kikyou let him, though the expression on her face told Sesshoumaru that she expected him to say more. Sesshoumaru didn't wish to be so cold to her at a time like this, but really, what is there to say? Should they reminisce about the past? About their love? Alas, no matter what he said, he could not distract himself from the horrible truth that his beloved was slipping from his grasp.

Kikyou closed her eyes slightly, breathing in his scent as she rested her broken body against his chest. How warm he felt... But she frowned slightly to feel the quick beating of his heart. _He is crying inwardly_...

"Don't hate yourself...for this," she muttered, her voice as weak as a tiny breath of wind.

Sesshoumaru frowned, shattering the icy mask he wore. "How can I not be upset, Kikyou?" he said bitterly. "I let that bastard get a hold of you..."

"Hush," she whispered, smiling sadly. "It's not your fault, anata..."

He was silent then, rendered speechless by the loving way she addressed him. The evening breeze was blowing, ruffling his silvery tresses. Sesshoumaru looked at the rapidly vanishing sunset...towards the West...where he would have wanted to return when the war was over...with Kikyou beside him... Alas, a dream must remain a dream...

**The stars appear from their dark confines,  
Feeble lights becoming defined.  
Darkness comes, the sunlight gone...**

**Why am I alone tonight?**

Kikyou's eyes softened, but she didn't lose the sweetness of her smile. "Listen, darling... I made a choice back there, and I am prepared to pay the price. Sesshoumaru, thank you for being with me to the very end..."

"I failed to protect you..." Sesshoumaru said softly, his eyes becoming lost in the shadow of his hair.

"Nothing can protect us from fate," Kikyou replied weakly, making an effort to raise her hand and to cup his cheek lovingly. "But to have you with me now...that's all I want."

Sesshoumaru can barely take in her words, or the tender feel of her hand against his skin. How can she still smile when all hope had gone? How can she still find something to thank him about when he could do nothing to save her now? Are the fates punishing him now for his arrogance? And what a truly harsh punishment it was! Here he was, the powerful Lord of the West, with the woman he loved...he could only look on helplessly as she came closer to dying in his arms...

He found himself looking up at the sky, as though searching for some grace from the heavens that would spare Kikyou from this second death. After all, she had died already, and she was only living a half-life...but he loved her...he loved her so much that he would not let her die no matter what happens.

Kikyou sighed, snuggling closer to him to make most of his presence. They were all alone; Sesshoumaru had made it so, and Kikyou could not blame him. Inuyasha naturally disapproved, but his brother was already pushed to the limit. Nothing can stop him now, not even his half-sibling. And so they were left alone in the field, uncaring about the sound of the elements as they whispered around them.

Sesshoumaru caught sight of the moon rising in the distance. He normally found comfort by looking at the ever-changing orb in the heavens, but now as he looked at the moon, he could find only anguish as he recalled all the nights he and Kikyou strolled under the moonlight together.

**You who now cross the sky in light,  
Show me the one I can never see.  
Tell me the words I can never hear,  
Give me the touch I can never feel.**

He looked on in silence, seeking for an answer. Why does it have to be Kikyou? Hasn't she suffered enough already? Could he do _nothing_ to save her? Could he...

**In the darkness,  
I seek the moon beyond the mountain.  
In the fall of eternal night,  
I dream of you.  
As the streaks of twilight chase away the sun,  
I think of you.**

Sesshoumaru frowned slightly to hear a whispered statement in his mind. Was he merely imagining it? Well, no! It was the voice of Tenseiga. The Sword of Life was speaking to him. But why? Sesshoumaru knew only too well about the irony of the sword, and had never been more disappointed with Tenseiga. Though it certainly has the ability to bring the dead back to life, Tenseiga could not save Kikyou, for she had no true soul of her own, that part of herself having been already reincarnated in another person. Why was it stirring now?

Kikyou opened her eyes slightly to feel him tense slightly.

"Sesshoumaru?"

He blinked slightly, but he shook his head to tell her that it was nothing. As he cradled Kikyou close, he spoke not a word as his father's sword whispered its judgment in his mind. What he heard gave him hope, but a deep sadness at the same time. Should he do what Tenseiga suggested?

Kikyou lurched slightly, and Sesshoumaru tore himself from his musings to give his dying love his undivided attention.

"You are in pain..." he said worriedly.

"Oh, I don't mind it really," she said, giving him a weak smile. "As long as I'm with you..." She faltered at the last word, her voice becoming more and more detached.

Once more, the desperation welled up within Sesshoumaru. His mind was made up at once.

"I love you, darling Kikyou," he said, and with that, he slowly lowered his face to hers and touched her slightly parted lips with his. Kikyou's mahogany eyes fluttered open in surprise, but they softened almost immediately as she allowed the kiss to deepen. She felt his warmth wash over her, followed by a strange soothing feeling... Her pain was diminishing with each second, and she began to feel less like she was dying.

"Koishii..." she muttered before a sudden drowsiness took over her senses. She was barely able to discern the strange look of sorrow in Sesshoumaru's eyes before she closed her eyes and let her body sink against him.

...o0o...

**Caught in a whirlwind of sorrow,  
I live without hope on the morrow.  
Struggles unending, coming and going...**

Kikyou was surprised to find out that she could open her eyes. She sat up on the grassy hilltop, feeling disoriented. Her hand made its way to her neck, and she raised an eyebrow to feel that it was smooth to her fingertips, as though it had never been touched by Naraku's filthy hands. The shouki wound was gone. Then, it registered inside her: _she was still alive_. But how? Why?

"Sesshoumaru?"

It was then that she realized he was no longer with her, cradling her in his embrace. Where had he gone? Kikyou looked up at the sky. It was nearing dawn; she must have slept for a long time, and he had left. Why? Sesshoumaru...

Kikyou stood up, temporarily taking her time to trace where her lover had gone. Feeling his aura disappearing in the nearby woods, she took off in a run, determined to reach him and answer the questions that came up in her mind. Then, she remembered the strange look in his eyes before she lost consciousness. Could this mean...?

...o0o...

**You who now cross the sky in light,  
Take me to the one I can never see,  
To hear the words I can never hear,  
Feel the touch I can never feel.**

**In the darkness,  
The moon rises beyond the mountain.  
In the fall of eternal night,  
I dream of you.  
As the streaks of twilight chase away the sun,  
I think of you.**

Sesshoumaru walked slowly into the woods. In truth, he felt as though he was simply putting one foot ahead of another instead of walking. His face was lined with fatigue and pain, but he smiled as he focused his eyes on the featureless path he took. He knew he made the right choice, but he must not allow Kikyou to see him like this, or his efforts would be rendered futile.

The silver-haired taiyoukai stopped beneath a tree. He breathed heavily, and for the first time in his life, he felt exhaustion...a different kind of exhaustion, that was eating at his strength from the inside out. But he had to walk on...if his beloved found out what price he had paid to save her life, she would surely hate herself...

_Damn, I am so tired..._

Sesshoumaru sat down with his back against the tree. He fingered the hilt of Tenseiga and let out a bitter chuckle. Such an annoying sword. So, this is what his father intended him to do, huh? Even if the Healing Fang had been reforged, it still retained that ability to counsel him...Tenseiga is too wise for its own good, indeed.

He let his hand fall to his side, resting his weight against the strong trunk. Now, he understood how Kikyou must have felt when she was overcome by Naraku's shouki. Only, being a full youkai, and a powerful one at that, he could hold the evil miasma back for a longer time. But not forever.

Sesshoumaru sighed, and he closed his eyes to take a brief rest. With the passage of each second, the whispers of death began to slowly amplify in his mind.

...o0o...

**Caught in a whirlwind of sorrow,  
I live without hope on the morrow.  
Stay with me, remember me...**

Kikyou followed her lover's aura ceaselessly, becoming more and more aware that it was extremely weakened. She began to have premonitions as to what happened to him, but she could never be sure of them until she really found him.

_Beloved Sesshoumaru, what have you done?_

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of running through the woods, she found him lying on the forest floor as though asleep. But she can sense that something was _very _wrong...

"Sesshoumaru!" Kikyou cried out, falling to her knees beside him and touching his pale cheek with trembling fingers. His amber eyes blinked open immediately, widening with surprise to see her so close by.

"What are you doing here, Kikyou?" he asked, frowning slightly to see her looking so aghast.

"What happened to you, Sesshoumaru?" she asked in return, knowing very well that he knew what she was talking about. Kikyou observed him; his body looked deceptively fine on the outside, but there's something wrong inside...something that's weakening him, and she could feel it.

"Kikyou..." Her name was all that he could say. Kikyou noticed his eyes becoming glassy, and she struggled to find out what was wrong.

"Please, koishii, what's wrong?" she pleaded frantically.

But Sesshoumaru refused to answer. He tilted his head the other way and refused to meet her in the eye. Then, to his surprise, Kikyou took him in her arms, stroking his silvery hair tenderly. Amber eyes softened at the extravagantly loving gesture. How strange it is; in the past, it had been she in his embrace; it was he who comforted her during the trying times. Now, it was Sesshoumaru who lay in her arms. It felt so wonderful, yet sad, at the same time.

"You're so beautiful..." he whispered. It may only be the effect of the shouki, but now everything seemed intensified to him...the pain he felt inside, the beauty of Kikyou..._the love he had for her._

Kikyou's breath caught in her throat. She felt tears beginning to sting the back of her eyes. He was weak...very weak. What could possibly do that to the Lord of the Western Lands? Then, she felt the shouki, and the dreadful truth sank inside her. Recalling how he kissed her the previous night, the soothing warmth that soared through her body as their lips touched...

Sesshoumaru...he had absorbed Naraku's shouki into his own body, all in order for her to live. He had allowed himself to be consumed by the miasma of the evil half-demon so she could live. She could not purify the shouki, and he is dying. He did this all for his beloved Kikyou. In a way, it wasn't the shouki that is killing him; it was his feelings for the undead miko that drove him to make such a sacrifice.

"Why...why...?" The shock was so great that she could barely speak. Then, her tears, which she had been struggling to hold back, escaped from her eyes and fell on his blood-drained face.

It was his turn to smile.

"Do you still need a reason, dearest bellflower?" Sesshoumaru said softly, weakly grasping her hand and squeezing it slightly. "We both know the answer."

Kikyou bit her lips and buried her face in the hollow of his neck.

"It's not fair!" she said. Life is precious, she knew. But does the price of her life require that of her beloved so she can live? It's absolutely not just!

"When has life ever been fair, darling?" he muttered with a sad smile. To that, she didn't answer, choosing instead to cry against her dying lover. She had _thought_ she was going to die; she had _wished_ he would live...but as she had said earlier, nothing can protect them from fate. Cruel, cruel fate! But how can she go on without him? Without Sesshoumaru?

Sesshoumaru waited until she had gotten over the worst of her tears, and he took in her sorrows and love just as he had taken in her pain. It felt so good to be one with her in those aspects, to share in her delight and heartache of loving...the joy and pain of living.

His strength diminishing steadily, he took the Tenseiga from his sash and held Kikyou's hands around it. Fully aware now of his intentions, Kikyou tried to refuse the precious relic, but his hands held her firm.

"I vowed to protect you while I lived," Sesshoumaru said with the last of his strength. "Now, let me protect you for eternity..."

"Anata!" Kikyou cried, and her tears came anew. He still had a smile on his face even as his body dissolved into ashes in her arms.

**In the darkness,  
The moon rises beyond the mountain.  
In the fall of eternal night,  
I dream of you.  
As the streaks of twilight chase away the sun,  
I think of you.**

...o0o...

Kikyou sat on a tall rock facing the western horizon. The wind played with her raven tresses, but she paid no attention. She held the Sword of Life against her heart, feeling her beloved's presence close to her. Then, she heard his voice in his mind, accompanied by a pulse of energy from the Tenseiga.

_I know, beloved; I know_, she answered back. Smiling sadly, she stood up and descended from the rock. She could not stop until her mission was complete; he loved her enough to understand that.

And so, she would, motivated by her lover's spirit which now resided in the sword. He would protect her, until the time finally comes where she would follow him to the place on the Other Side, to have their love reborn all over again.

**In the darkness,  
My spirit flies beyond the mountain.  
In the fall of eternal night,  
I dream of you.  
From where streaks of twilight have chased the sun,  
I'll remember you.**

...o0o...

/sniffles and takes out the tenth roll of tissue paper from her bag/ Gosh, tragedy! It's been ages since I last wrote a story with a tragic ending! But you have my word that this is not the last of my SesshKik works. I'm still the ever-loyal SessKik fan even if Kiky or Sesshy dies! BTW, I really appreciate constructive criticisms (NO FLAMES!), so don't hesitate to click on that little button down there before you go. Until next time!


End file.
